Educational device



- Dec. 13, 1949 R. H. DlRcKx EDUCATIONAL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, v1948 l INVENTOR.

Dec. 13, 1949 R. H. DIRCKX 2,491,164

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Dec. 13, 1949 R. H. DlRcKx EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed Aug. 1'7, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Rudolph H. Dirckx, Dayton, Ohio Application August 17, 194s, seria1No.44,715

(c1. ca -2s) 3 Claims. l

This invention relates to an educational device and more particularly to a device for use in teaching children and others such subjects as spelling and arithmetic. n

It is an object of this invention to provide a device in which any one of several different pictures or subjects may be interchangeably formed by selectively folding over suitably designated marginal segments or tabs which project from a suitable support.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in which various types of mathematical problems and answers may be illustrated in an interesting manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel device which may be used to entertain as well as to teach.

Another object of this invention is to provide an educational device in which one is taught to appreciate the distinction between different types of lettering as well as different pictures and colors.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device incorporating my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the reverse side of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the marginal segments or tabs bearing the letters "C, and W folded over so as to form a picture of a cow;

Figure 4 is a plan view similar to Figure 3 but showing a different set of tabs folded over so as to form a picture;

Figure 5 is a plan view on a reduced scale showing another embodiment of the educational device which is adapted for use in teaching arithmetic;

Figure 6 is a plan view showing the reverse side of the device shown in Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a plan view similar to Figure 5 but showing certain of the segments folded over onto the main support.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention, reference numeral lll designates a sheet of paper, cardboard, or the like, which has a series of marginal segments or tabs generally designated by the reference numeral I2 arranged as shown. For purposes of illustrating a very practical arrangement using my invention, the tabs I2 have been shown as formed integr-al with the main Ysuch as a cat, cow, dog, bird, or the like.

body lll, whereas these tabs may be formed separate and suitably hinged to the number I0 so as to be capable of being folded over onto the number I0.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 through 4, each tab |.2 is provided on its front face with one or more letters of the alphabet which are printed in various styles of letters, as shown, and on the opposite side of each of the tabs there is provided a fragment of a picture of an object The arrangement of the fragmentary pictures appearing on the backs of the segments is such that if the segments bearing the similar styled letters 0, O and W, for example, are folded over onto the face of the main body or support I0, a composite picture of a cow will be formed from the fragmentary pictures, as illustrated in Figure 3- of the drawings.

In the preferred arrangement, the letters which are to be matched together in the spelling of one of the objects pictured on the reverse thereof are all made similar both as to the style of type and as to color. By using a different color and style of type for each word to be spelled, some of the letters of the alphabet may appear on more than one of the tabs, but if it does, it is vprinted in a manner distinctively different in each instance.

Thus, the letters forming the word cow may be made in the form of rather light weight letters, whereas the letters used in spelling the word dog are made in the form of rather heavy letters and the letters used to designate bird are made in the form of script.

Figure 3 shows the tabs bearing the light weight letters C, O and W" turned down so as to form a picture of a cow, whereas Figure 4 shows the letters K, i, t and ty turned down so as to form a picture of a Kitty.

It will be noted that some of the tabs have more than one letter placed thereon. Thus, the one tab used in spelling Girl has the two letters GI appearing thereon. By virtue of this arrangement, it is possible to use only three tabs in forming a picture of a Girl, even though the word Girl has more than three letters. The number of tabs used in forming a picture may be varied. Thus, the four tabs bearing the indicia K, 1, t and ty are used in forming a picture of a Kitty For purposes of illustration, the segments I2 in Figures 1 through 4 have been shown as spaced slightly from one another, whereas in actual practice they would normally touch one another. Thev shape and size of the device may be varied 3 considerably without departing from the spirit carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed of my invention. Likewise. the pictures or oband defined in the appended claims. jects formed by folding down the segments may Having thus described my invention, I claim: be varied. Thus, a picture of a hat, for ex- 1. An educational device comprising a recample, could be substituted for the picture of the 5 tangular support, a plurality of groups of comcow shown in Figure 3, in which case the letters plementary segments pivoted to each of the sides C-O-W appearing on the front of the tabs would 0f Said Support and each glOup 0f COmplemenbe replaced by the letters HA-T. tary segments carrying upon one face indicia set- The device lmay Valso be used in reverse, in ting forth` a mathematicalproblem and on the which cage one would piece pictures togethgrzanii l0 other face .milicia setting forth .the solution to find the spelling of the animal or object on"the said problem, the segments 'beine 'so arranged reverse side of the segments on which the picture .relative to one another that when all of the comappears, tplementary segments of one of said groups have In Figures 5, 6 and '7 of the drawingsfltltene eenlolded over onto said support, the answer is shown another embodiment of .my invention 15 to themathematical problem represented thereby which may be used in teaching arithmetic. In Will'appeariin a composite manner. this form of my invention, variousmaitlrenatioal .2 In an ieducational device, the combination problems are depicted by the numerals and other with a rectangular support, of a series of segindicia printed on the normally exposedsiies'o'f rineritson each side of said support, means for the segments I2 and the answers to the problems 20 supporting said segments for movement relative are fornied by turningfdo'wn Vltire ufseig'lments -to fcaid support, each fof :sa-id :segments ;having which the numbers and `-asso'cate'd pictures 'one L'polition '.thereofmormallylhidden from View forminlgf th'efproblemiare-shown *fFigure 'T-illusfanti :having :fanother ,fportion thereof :normally trates what shows up when the segments fon visible, said normally hidden portionfofreachof *Which-the'problem"2`blocks""itakeawayhblock r25 fsaiisegments having; fragmentary subject matfappe'arslareffldedioverforitothe center support ter thereon which is complementary ato .fragl. rmentary :subject :matter d`on vat :least .one -of -the `-It 1willlbe 'notedv that the rsegments designated theresegments, said :normally 'visible .portion of by tlie referencenume'rallS-in Figureslff and Seachroffsaidxsegments;having:indicia(thereomfor ''li'a're shorter/thanlthe restofthe-'segmertsbut'.30 aiding in selecting segments having .complemen- 'Iftltat the principlef operation remainseessenztaryrfragmentaryzsubject:matternthereonxonzthe -tially the: same. mor-many hidden portion .thereon Ifwhereby :upon :Tue sgh-.ummm ,mpamgemgu z xeept; .f for lfthe movement :of ,'Iselectedssegments :relative to .'said syibols,lpictures,letloeteraimaylbetliesamefor support, the normally hidden;f1agmentarysub- Eallofthe-devices,lif.desired. .Itis-'contemplated 35 rlect'nmattm will :be :exposed :to =View lWith-.said that Cthevlievicesiwillbe sold both individully :fragmentaryi'subj ect matterxproperlyarranged so and in-sets. Thus,the lieviceSs'hWniimiFig-ures as to present a composite subject. -1`throu'gh.^4imay formnpart oia'L-setiincluding 2-3-nA devicesfornteaching. spel1ing'.comprismg a the device shown in Figuresl-through Awell :rectangular eSupport, :a plurality :of groups 0f f as :similar edevicesmaviug still :different:platines :40 v-cOrrilementary segments? pivoted toreach ,of y.the :aa-,nd rsymbols, :sidesoffsa-id supportf-and each groupfof-.comple- :Eachh'f thei-gegmetsilz ran-dns wvgummezsmtmentary segments carrying upon one face letters fab1yr=scored=a1onghevune fdtsrcontacc-mtnthe 9mm-alphabet for Yspelling Athe .nement .an-,obffmainrpanel 'I,fsuchas jat 14,:ssoi'as Atoacilitate #Jecndn thether fate picture f theobject :bending thesegmentsoverfbnto .,'the'pa'nel 10,45 Spel1ed-on.the.reverse s1de.thereof, thesegments fduringithefformation:ofthe'ipicturesrorictlrer bemg s0 rmnged'relatwefto one another that .fobjeets Pinche @centenar-:1t is idesiren'rtomse When-au of the complementafyfsegments-f*me heavygafdboard with e1ike. fo rgthelmampanel of.sa1d groups .have been .folded over onto .said

A v u supportfthe picture ofthe 'object'.represented fl), suitable hinges may be usedfofattachmg .the thereby will appear in a composite mannen :segments i2 -to'ithe "main support.

:Instructionsrfor theuse of=the1 devicetmaybe 50 RUDOLPHH' DIRCKX' '.printededn athefmain "supporti or :center panel fill, Las indicate'dfsor vthe instructions may be Y printed REFERENCES 'CITED on a separate sheet orl on'vthefenvelopeforebox 'Theffollowingireferencesffare ofrecordinthe (notshown)iniwhichfonerorfmoraofftherdevices ;55 file of this patent: would benpa'ckaged E L l tAlthough --the preferred embodiment of ==the "UNITED STATES PATENTS YAdevice has been 'describedilt willr'be understood Number Name .Date that withinfthe.purviewofthis=invention=varions `698,603 Wiederseimfdr Apr.-29,1'902 changesfmay be made in-thelformdetailsgzpro-60 173945713 Howell AMay-27, 1.919 :portionfzandv arrangementy of;- partsp .the aco'mbiim- .135951 15 'Sittinger Nov. .16, ..1920 -tion--tlfieree'fandT mode 'ofoperationfwhich` `gen- #1,701,557 @Clinch et al Fb-1-2,1'929 erally 1 stated consist in a -Idev-ice capable not 

